


running away to you

by Anna_banana



Series: F1 Athletics [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Athlete/Coach, M/M, athletics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 19:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15274623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_banana/pseuds/Anna_banana
Summary: “Inappropriate,” Felipe quickly learns this is a stupid English word Rob says when he really means wrong. It would be wrong for them to be together apparently.





	running away to you

It only took a few months of training with Rob as his coach for Felipe to realise his least favourite thing about him. For most athletes they hate their coaches training sessions or the critical feedback they get, for Felipe it’s something else entirely. Rob always says one thing when what he really means is another. 

For example, "inappropriate," Felipe quickly learns this is a stupid English word that Rob always says when he really means wrong. It means it would be wrong for them to be together, apparently. What’s even worse is that this doesn’t even need an explanation. Whether it’s an athlete coach thing, the slight age gap, the fact they’re both male or some weird combination, Felipe has no idea. All he knows is as follows, Rob doesn’t actually say what he means and what he says is rarely what he truly thinks. 

All this started with the first win. After a flurry or injury problems and poor results there was a growing number of questions about whether he will be retiring soon. Felipe growing frustrated with his slowing times and increasing negative media attention, decides to move coach. After a long time looking and multiple recommendations he ends up in England to meet his new coach Rob Smedley. Years since his last real successes in the port even Felipe was beginning to have doubts. Luckily however he clicked immediately with Rob and his new training team and the results follow soon after. Encouragement and high praise from Rob meant for the first time in years he had high targets for the season. Thanks to him and the idolization from the new set of youngsters he was training with, even Felipe was beginning to believe in these targets.

.........................

Today as he begins to stretch and before the other athletes arrive to the track he presents Rob with what he thinks is a well laid out argument.

“Emma Coburn.”

“What about her?”

“Oh you know, she’s a World champion, Olympic medallist, US record holder and also coached by her husband.”

This is met quickly with a sigh from Rob.  
 “Felipe training is just about to start”

“Well I wouldn’t bring this up now if you would speak to me any other time,” he snaps storming off to begin his jog as his training partner Lance arrives. 

.............................................

The problems between them began in Zurich. A win from Felipe and a personal best run by Lance who is quickly becoming the youngster to watch out for, calls for celebration and a night out. As they are at a break in the season with no major championships coming up, this night involves drink, and a lot of it. Quickly Lance heads off to go celebrate with the young French team he had trained with before moving to England, this leaves Felipe and Rob by themselves. Both feeling out of place in the high end nightclub at this stage in their lives they soon decide to head out and back to Felipe's to keep drinking. A drink becomes a kiss and a kiss... Well that becomes Rob running out the door as though he'd never quit competing himself and since then, absolutely nothing. So begins Rob's ever increasing avoidance. No explanations not even a clear "No Felipe sorry not interested." All they have between them now is Rob being only willing to talk about athletics and evade all other conversations combined with Felipe's ever growing frustration at the situation and the limbo he has been left in.

If Rob’s concerns were just about Felipe’s performance as they did this weird dance around each other then really they were unfounded. Felipe was running some of the best times of his life. He knew he was getting on a bit in his career. Whilst no longer able to reach the low 9.8 second times when sprinting, he is still one of the most competitive athletes competing right now always running consistently quick. He could even win the worlds this year. Certainly the indoors in the winter with the 60m as his speciality.

If nothing else his sheer frustration at Rob right now was doing wonders for his times. Although perfectly focused on the start line he feels as driven as he was in his early twenties at the peak of his career.  Quietly he wishes Rob’s frequent refusals were for that very reason, but he knows in his head that it isn’t the case.  
   
Frustration in more ways than one leads to tense nights out. Felipe starts spending most of his time off going out with rival and sometimes friend Fernando. 'Sure,' he thinks 'Fernando is only even staying here in Britain to deal with his weird thing with Jenson but Rob doesn't need to know that.'

The press have changed tone with his newfound string of performances but the questions mostly stay the same. Press conferences consist of lots of questions about the performance of the more experienced athletes on the track and field such as his rival Fernando or that of the Javelin thrower Kimi Räikkönen. Training sessions with Rob involve a lot of snapping and telling him to focus on his runs.

The boiling point is Lausanne. A supposed twitch in the blocks results in the red card being shown and his exit from the race before it even begins. He argues with the officials before finally leaving the track. Felipe is more exhausted than if he'd just managed to run the race. A win and another best from Lance makes him smile. But as he watches from the side he feels just as drained as he does proud.

Somehow he drags himself to the cool down area and as far away from everyone else as possible. Not long after he hears footsteps heading towards him and looks up in surprise as someone approaches him, it's Rob.

Felipe has no idea how someone he spends almost every day with can still make his throat dry, but he does. Coughing awkwardly, Felipe has never before felt like he had no idea what to say to Rob but eventually he thinks of something.

"Shouldn't you be with Lance right now?" He asks, far more sharply than he could ever mean.

“I've congratulated him," is the reply he gets. Rob waits a second before saying any more. "You need me more right now.”

Felipe isn't sure whether to laugh or cry at what he's just heard and the warm but concerned look on Rob's face so he just answers, for once not meaning to be as honest as he is.

“I always need you.”

There's a slight pause and then Rob holds his hand out. Unsure of what else to do, Felipe grabs on as tight as he dares and with that he's pulled up onto his feet and quickly enveloped in a hug. Felipe clings on unable to do anything other than breathe in and pray Rob never lets go. Eventually they have to pull apart remembering that even huddled into the side they're still in a massive and still packed with athletes, cool down area.

Eventually Rob speaks again. "C'mon then let's go, we have more competitions to prepare for and by the looks of things we need as much time as we can get, especially if you want to fit in dates in between."

The look on Felipe's face was full of shock. "Dates?" He asks not quite daring to hope he heard correctly.

This causes a reaction he's never seen before, Rob begins to look nervous.  
"I mean if you still want to? I'm sorry I've been a dick I just wanted you to keep doing so well and I wasn't sure you'd want to stay if you stopped performing so brilliantly but..." He trails of there not knowing what else to say and how to say it all.

Felipe thinks back to everything that has happened over the past few months. The kiss, Rob's smile, the snapping, the hard work, the fights, the encouragement, the compliments. It doesn't take long for him to know what to do.

He squeezes Rob's hand quickly before letting it go and smiling.

“Well let's go then. What are we waiting for?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :) Hopefuly up next in this series is some Kimi/Seb and some Dan/Max


End file.
